Catch Dark Mode <= 2.0 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Local File Inclusion
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 2.0.1
- Affected Plugin
- Catch Dark Mode
- Affected Version
<= 2.0- CVSS
- 7.5High
- Weakness type
- CWE-98 · Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion')
- CVE
CVE-2025-10143
At a glance
CVE-2025-10143 is a high-severity Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion') vulnerability in the Catch Dark Mode WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.0. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Contributor level or above. The issue is fixed in version 2.0.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2025, reported by zaim.
Vulnerability Overview
The Catch Dark Mode plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 2.0 via the 'catch_dark_mode' shortcode. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to include and execute arbitrary .php files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where .php file types can be uploaded and included.
Technical Analysis
The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.
CWE-98: Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program ('PHP Remote File Inclusion')
Catch Dark Mode <= 2.0 carries this weakness at catch_dark_mode, and reaching it takes an account at Contributor level or above. PHP file inclusion means a path used by include or require is built from request data, so the file that gets executed is under the caller's influence.
Including an attacker-influenced file executes its contents, which is why this class is routinely chained with an upload or log-poisoning step to reach code execution. For Catch Dark Mode the fix is 2.0.1: builds <= 2.0 are affected, anything from 2.0.1 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 2.0.1, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
An attacker needs Contributor access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. Classes like this one can leave something behind, so the staged malware scanner is the second half: it looks for dropped files and modified code rather than for the request that created them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Catch Dark Mode 2.0.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Scanner
- Alerts
External References
Related records
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